


Murals

by abuglady



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:22:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27241126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abuglady/pseuds/abuglady
Summary: I painted a mural on your building and you can't seem to get enough of my art since.
Relationships: Feyre Archeron/Rhysand
Comments: 8
Kudos: 70





	1. Chapter 1

Feyre POV

I was at work stacking canned green beans when my phone started ringing, I wasn't supposed to have it on me while I was on the floor, but the manager didn't really care that much. She was sitting behind the on her own phone texting and snapping. So, I answered the phone, "hello".

"Hi, I'm calling for Ms. Archeron."

"That's me."

"Well Ms. Archeron my name is Ms. True and I am from Night Industries, I'm pleased to inform you that you have been selected to paint the mural on the side of night industries." I was stunned for a moment; I almost dropped the phone. I had submitted a few of my pieces not thinking I would ever be chosen for something like this.

" ?... Are you still there?"

"Yes sorry. Uhm, thank you so much for the opportunity." The woman on the other end of the line laughed a little at my flustered reply.

"You're so welcome, you were the best option for the job. Anyway, we would like you to come into night industries sometime next week so we can go over the details. Would you be free next Tuesday at 1 o clock? We could do our discussion over lunch?"

"That sounds fantastic, should I meet you at Night industries then?"

"That would be great, see you on Tuesday Ms. Archeron"

I hung up and squealed a little in excitement the manager didn't even look up, she seemed to have not even noticed my phone call. I finished stacking the green beans and then I went on to the canned corn and peas. I cleaned up a small mess someone made knocking over a bag of sugar and then my shift came to an end.

I skipped home to the small apartment I had over a small pizza place. The whole place was only two rooms, a small bathroom and a bedroom and a kitchen in one. It was small but it worked so I didn't really mind. Especially since it was my own there were no sisters judging me and making me take care of them and no boyfriend controlling my every move.

I loved my sisters, but it was nice now that they had their own jobs and places, I had lost touch with them while I was dating Tam, and now we were slowly getting close again. Elain had offered me her spare room multiple times, but I always told her the same thing. No that I needed to do this to make it on my own to heal and to paint.

For so many years all that I had wanted was enough money for basic necessities and paint and time to paint. Now that I had it I spent all my free time painting. I knew that eventually, I would need to make my life more open and social, but for now, I was happy right here.

Over the next few days before my meeting I started planning out the mural, I barely got any sleep and the only time I left my apartment was for food and work, not that I usually went out much.

I had only been scheduled for the early morning shift at the grocery store on Tuesday, but I got it covered so I could spend the morning getting ready. I changed my outfit at least 5 times trying to find something professional looking without any paint stains.

I settled for a pencil skirt, a blue blouse that made my eyes pop, and a light jacket. I twisted my hair up into a bun and did my makeup.

I took an earlier bus than I needed to, and I was starting to regret it cause I didn't want to go in too early leaving me pacing up and down the street a few blocks away. Some people gave me funny looks, but I barely noticed them. I kept going over my talking points and thinking about the mural. I even went over to the wall it was going to be painted on and stared at it trying to picture it.

I stared for so long that I was almost late when I walked into Night Industries, there were 2 ladies talking one very beautiful blond wearing a blood-red blouse that was slightly scandalous and a tight pencil skirt, she also had a light jacket draped over her arm.

The other lady was also beautiful, she had ink-black hair and dark eyes that I couldn't distinguish the color of from across the room.

As I walked closer the blond woman turned around toward me, "Are you ?"

"Yes, that me you must be Ms. True."

"Yes, please though call me Mor."

"In that case please call me Feyre."

"Excellent, so Feyre you ready for our lunch date?" She said winking at me a little suggestively. I grinned and we linked arms, we had only just met, but I already felt comfortable around her. This meeting that I had been so worried about now just felt exciting.

We went to a small restaurant called Rita's and sat in a booth near the back, it was near a window and had a light above it so we thought it would be best for looking at my drawings.

We ordered a bunch of appetizers to share and went over my drawings, she loved them all especially one that was mostly night sky with ancient warriors called Illyrians flying across the sky. She said she would have to get it approved by the rest of the board, but that it was excellent.

We talked about the mural budget, which was way more than I could ever need, and then what I would be paid which exceeded my imaginations. Once we finished talking Mor ordered a few drinks and we started talking like old friends. It almost made me miss the social life I had when I was with Tamlin, but this was real and infinitely better. I just really hoped that it would last.

I walked out of Ritas with a bounce in my step and not just because of the booze that I had consumed. Later this week I would hear from Mor about getting approval on my mural and then I could start priming and sketching it out.

Rhys POV

Grey everything grey, why did my father choose to decorate everything in this office in grey. Grey walls grey chairs grey desk even the paintings that he had hung had no color. Since he had died, and I had moved into this office I had been wanting to redo it but I didn't have the time or an idea. Now I had also been here for so long that it seemed almost silly to change it. After my mom, dad and sister died it felt right to have everything grey my life felt grey, and then after Amarantha the world once again lost its color.

Now though staring at the grey walls I hated them, I hated staring at them all day every day. Maybe it was time to finally change it, I could probably ask Mor she would know what I'd like then I wouldn't have to spend any more time on it.

I could ask her after our meeting, normally I dread these meetings, but I was a little excited about this one. It was about the ugly wall on the outside of our building, it was grey and drab, so Mor had thought about a mural. A lot of the buildings in an area near here affectionately referred to as the rainbow had started the mural trend and now it was spreading all over Velaris, now Night Industries was going to get to be a part of it.

This meeting was about approving the mural that the artist had designed. I had only gotten to see a little bit of the artists' work when Mor was deciding but from what I had seen this could be really spectacular. Maybe I could even ask for a few paintings for my office.

Going into the meeting was startling Mor had pinned up a bunch of paintings on a corkboard and spread out even more paintings on the table. There was an obvious theme of the night sky in most of the paintings, and lots with Illyrian warriors.

There was a really cool one of water wolves jumping out of the Sidra and defending the rainbow, there was one of the lunar cycle and countless others.

I spend weeks just staring at them. I wanted one painted on the building right outside my window so I could admire it all day. Later I might even look into buying out the building just so I could get it painted.

We decided quickly on the one that Mor had been pushing the one with the Illyrians flying across the night sky. At the end of the meeting, I rounded up all the loose drawings and stole them. I spent the rest of the day putting them around my office, I had work to do but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

I was straightening one out when I heard someone behind me, "I was wondering where those went."

I turned around to see Mor grinning at me, "It's nice to see that you're finally doing something with your office, but I do need to return those."

"I see, before you do that though do you think you could get copies, I'd be willing to pay the artist for them."

"That could be arranged, you should meet with the artist she seems really great, and you'd probably get along, then she could design some more things for you." Mor said with a suspicious smirk, for someone with the last name truth she was often quite manipulative. Which is part of why I hired her, but I didn't particularly like it when she directed that manipulativeness towards my life.

"I'll think about it." She frowned a little at that and I pretended not to notice, "for now though I think these would be great, I can get Nuala to look for some frames tomorrow."

"I think that would be really great Rhys. I'm heading out for the day and was wondering if you were too, I could use a big strong man to walk me to my car." The last part she said so sarcastically that I laughed we both knew that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

"I think that I am, I've got some more work to do but there's no reason I can't do it from home." I took her arm and we walked together.

I tried to get more work done in my home office but all I could think about was those paintings and where I could put them in my apartment too. There was one that was like a soothing cloud of darkness that I had seen that would look amazing in my hallway.

There seemed to be no escape from the paintings even in my sleep I dreamed about them, I was about to make this artist a very wealthy woman.


	2. Chapter 2

Feyre POV

I was stacking canned mushroom soup this time when I got a call, I was hidden behind a shelf so my manager couldn't see, but that probably didn't matter anyway since she was probably on her own phone again. I picked up and I heard Mor's sweet voice on the other end of the line. "Hi Feyre, your gorgeous drawing that we had decided on was approved! So, you can go ahead and start buying paint, don't forget to keep the receipts."

I could hear the smile in her voice on the other end of the line and she squealed in excitement with me, I almost dropped a can of soup when I started doing my happy dance. "Thank you so so so much, Mor! You have no idea how much this means to me."

"What are you doing tonight?"

"Well, I'm working and then going home to do some more planning for the mural."

"Well cancel it, you can work on it later were going out to celebrate! What time should I pick you up?"

I was smiling so much I knew that it would hurt tomorrow. "Well, I finish work at 6:30 so how about just after 7."

"Excellent I'll see you at seven, and congrats again Feyre."

I hung up and gave myself a full minute to do a happy dance before restarting stacking the soup, 6:30 was still hours away but I smiled through it. Nobody else seemed to notice my unusually bright mood and eventually, 6:30 came around.

When I got in the door, I sent Mor the address and hopped in the shower. I wasn't sure what to wear so I changed 5 times at least. From what I knew about Mor she seemed to have an extraordinary fashion sense so, I felt slightly self-conscious. I settled on a little black dress that was fairly old seemed shorter than it was the last time that I had worn it.

Mor showed up at 7:15 giving me lots of time to line my eyes with kohl and dig up an old lipstick and slightly lumpy mascara. Mor's outfit did not disappoint she was wearing a blood-red dress fit for the red carpet that showed off a scandalous amount of skin. She had beautiful diamond earrings in, for a moment I felt inadequate but then she smiled and the feeling vanished.

We walked out arm in arm and we went in a taxi to a club that I had never been to before but felt like I'd heard of it called Rita's. The owner spotted Mor and came rushing over and gave her a big hug, "It's been far too long since you've come to see me Mor."

"I know Rhys has been keeping me far too busy, and at least this time I've brought a new customer. Rita meet Feyre she's the one who gets to do the mural that I was telling you about."

"It's so nice to meet you Feyre." The woman says giving me a big hug. "Any friend of Mor's is most welcome."

"It's nice to meet you too." I hugged her back tight enough to show I meant it.

"Well, come in, come in. I've got the best booth open for you."

We walked near the back in a booth that was close to the bar but not so close that the crowd we were stuck in the crowd of the bar. It also had a great view of the dance floor; it was a great booth.

We sat down and ordered some drinks and some nachos which apparently "I just had to try". We sat and talked for what felt like ages and no time at all. We talked about the mural, about her stunning dress and how she was going to take me shopping, we drooled over nachos, we danced, and we sang.

When we were at the table Mor's phone started to ring, she rolled her eyes and then picked it up, "Cass, what's up?"

I couldn't make out what Cass was saying, but he was making Mor laugh, she turned to me and asked, "hey is it okay if I invite a few more people from work?" At first, I was hesitant not wanting to share Mor, but also, I wouldn't mind making a few more friends it would probably actually be good for me so I nodded.

We went back out onto the dance floor while we waited, and I started dancing with a very tall tanned shockingly white-haired male who kept on giving me smiles that reminded me of the ocean.

I saw Mor talking to a tall male and laughing so I figured I should go over and introduce myself to her friend. When I got close, I realized just how tall he was, he must have been well over six feet and he had a goofy grin plastered on his face. He had long hair though I couldn't tell how long from the bun he had it in.

I could barely hear Mor introducing us with the music blasting in our ears which was nice, no need to make small talk we could just dance and goof around. He twirled Mor and I around, once when he was twirling me the force and the booze in my system sent me flying across the room.

Warm solid hands caught me and when I looked up, I saw 4 beautiful violet eyes staring down at me.

Rhys POV

When Cass called to tell to go to Rita's to meet up with Mor it was the last thing I had wanted to do. Now though I wasn't so sure. I had just seen Cass towering over everyone and was walking over when the most beautiful woman had been practically thrown into my arms.

When she looked up at me it took a moment for her to steady herself, and when she did she didn't seem inclined to leave my arms. Eventually, she did pull away though and when she left my arms it felt like a part of me went with her.

She quickly apologized and asked if I was alright while turning bright red. I smiled and said I was, she apologized again and started to walk back presumably to wherever she had just come flying from. I was tempted to go after her but instead found myself intrigued as she walked over to Cassian and Mor and they started laughing together.

I made my way over and I think mystery woman realized who I was when she turned a darling shade of red again. Mor introduced us and once I realized that this was the woman behind all the lovely paintings, I couldn't help my excitement.

I desperately wanted to go find somewhere quieter to talk but she and Mor seemed to happy dancing for me to ask. So, I danced with her all night. I barely knew her and yet every time we touched it sent sparks running through me.

I saw her laugh and smile like I was in a haze and she was the only thing in focus, a few times I caught Mor watching us a secret smile on her face. At the end of the night, I gave Feyre my number and paid for a cab to take her home. "Text me when you get home safe, Feyre Darling." She rolled her eyes at me and nodded I closed the door for her, and then she was off.

I didn't notice Mor behind me until she slid her arm through mine, "I knew you two would get along, just remember she was my friend first."

"I have no idea what you're talking about Mor."

"Yeah right." She said back in an overly sarcastic voice with a little shove.

I put her in another cab and sent her on her way. Then I walked home, I lived nearby, and I wanted the walk and the cool air to help me clear my head. It didn't really work, but I didn't mind, I almost felt giddy and I smiled when my phone buzzed knowing what I would find.

Feyre: I got home safe thx for the cab fare and a fun night, goodnight Rhys

Rhys: Anytime

Rhys: Good night Feyre Darling


	3. Chapter 3

Feyre POV

Rhys and I hadn't spoken since the night at the bar, I had really thought that he would have messaged by now and at this point, I was feeling too silly to message. I had built it up way too much in my head.

During the last week, I got some scaffolding and really got started on the mural. Somehow though it made me think of Rhys more, the dark blues and violets were a constant reminder of his eyes. I couldn't get him out of my head, which is why I was so excited to go out with Mor. We went out most days, sometimes just for lunch or coffee and a few evenings out to clubs. Rhys never came with though not for a lack of Mor trying to get him too, but he was always too busy working.

Now I was going shopping with Mor I had gotten a paycheck from working on the mural and some money from all the painting that was going to offices and such inside the building. My bank account was seeing numbers so high that I couldn't have dreamed of, plus the new phone calls coming from people that had seen my art in Night Industries.

Going shopping I stepped into shops I never would have even looked at, and I dared to look at price tags that would have knocked the breath out of me before. I was still careful with my money, but I got a few new articles of clothing to update my wardrobe a little. Make me more professional looking now that people were seriously considering my art.

I found a really nice blue dress if it was red it would have been the type of dress that Mor would wear. It was tight in all the right places and just revealing enough to stir someone's imagination. When I walked out of the dressing room Mor whistled loudly and I noticed another shoppers lingering glance.

It was the most expensive thing I bought but it was worth it, Mor and I had planned to go out again tonight to show off our new clothes. So, I went home, took a shower, changed, and did my make up. Mor came to pick me up in a town car and we were off to Rita's.

Since the first night that I had come to Rita's I had gotten to know it better as well as the extremely kind and welcoming Rita who owned it. I started to love this place, we always got the same booth and I started to get to know some of the regulars. It was nice after so long of not going out and not having a social life I felt like I was coming alive again.

Now Mor was sitting next to me fake laughing as she made eyes with a woman at the bar, "You think she could be the one Feyre?" she asked.

I looked over trying not to be too obvious and laughed, the woman was gorgeous and was wearing a dress that looked like it came right out of Mor's closet. "If you don't mind sharing clothes, I guess you could be the perfect match."

Mor laughed and said, "not a chance in hell, these have all been tailored to perfection, I ain't letting nobody touch em, unless of course, you need to borrow something then just let me know." The last bit made me smile it was so nice to have such a close friend, I felt like I was back with my sisters.

We ordered another round of drinks and I saw a familiar face on the dance floor, Cassian was making a fool of himself doing the robot. With the drinks clouding Mors and my own judgment we walked over to where he was dancing doing the robot ourselves. Upon seeing us Cassian decided to go all out he let his shoulder-length hair out of his bun and shook it dramatically out of his face.

He sashayed over to us and said, "Do my eyes deceive me, or is that really you, my dearest Feyre." He had Mor and I cackling.

We danced together for a bit and then went to go sit at the booth and talk for a while, I went to go and get some drinks while Mor tried to feed Cass some peanuts to get him ready for his next drink.

At the bar I saw Rhys grabbing a beer I did a double-take wondering if I had conjured him here in my drunken state, but there he was. Handsome as ever, he had a dark suit on, no tie with the first few buttons undone showing off a tanned chest with what looked like the edges of tattoos. He was looking into his beer glass like he was hoping to find some sort of answer inside.

I was walking over to him when some lady in a skimpy top started talking to him and pressing her body up against him. I figured I should just leave him alone I had probably just imagined the whole connection to him, so I should avoid any embarrassment by bringing it up.

I grabbed our drinks and went back over to our booth, Cassian looked more alert now and there were peanut shells everywhere. While I was gone, they had come up with a game that involved flinging the peanut shells across the table. I would have to remember to leave an extra-large tip before we left tonight.

I tried paying attention to the game, but my gaze kept straying back to Rhys, the girl was still stuck to his side, but he seemed to be trying hard to remove himself. When she went to grab him between the legs I sprang up from my seat and walked over.

Rhys POV

When I finished work this evening Mor had asked for the millionth time if I would go out to Rita's with her. She must have told me Feyre was coming a million times trying to lure me to come. The passing weeks had been difficult with trying to secure a contract with autumn inc. that I hadn't had a spare moment.

I had stared at my phone during my free time trying to figure out what to text Feyre or checking to see if she had messaged me. The longer that had passed the worse it got. After a long day today, I was going to go home I was halfway there when I changed my mind. Now though sitting at the bar getting a drink to hype myself up to go to Mor's regular booth I kind of wished I had gone home.

This lady kept on trying to get my attention, she was pressing her breasts against my side and trying to push them up with her arms. I told her so many times that I wasn't interested, and I tried moving but she just kept on trying. I was preparing myself to go get the bouncer when she reached her hand between my legs.

I prepared myself by twisting away from her, but her hand never made contact, I looked back to see what happened. Feyre was there shaking hands with the crazy lady, "Thank you so much for keeping him company while I got here. I'm here now though so you can go on back to whatever place you crawled out of to get here."

The lady's jaw dropped and Feyre just took my hand and walked me over to the booth. I guessed the expression on my face was still startled when Feyre said, "I'm sorry if that was a genuine connection you were having there, but it looked like you could use the help." She turned red and I shook the last of my shock off and took her in.

"Thank you. I'd much rather spend time with you than whatever that was Feyre darling. Have I told you yet how marvelously delicious you look tonight?" She turned a very dark shade of scarlet, and the sight of it made me completely forget the world around me. It made me a little bold and I pulled her into my side. Her body contact was sending delicious sparks up my side.

She was so close that I could hear her laugh in my ear and I never wanted to let her go. I felt like I barely knew her, but I also felt like I had known her forever. I had filled my office with her painting and when that wasn't enough, I filled the whole building. Part of me felt foolish and like a creep, but the other part of me told me this was it.

She moved away when we got to the booth to slide in and I slid in right beside her, for a while we played a game flinging peanuts at each other, and then Feyre and I started talking and talking and talking. I didn't notice that Mor and Cass had gone back to the dance floor until I looked away from Feyre's eyes for a moment. We moved closer and closer all night sneaking little touches.

When Cass and Mor came back over clearly after a few more drinks loud and obnoxious I was prepared to growl at them, but Feyre's hand on my knee calmed me right down.

"I… I … I think I'm ready to go home now." Cass mumbled; he was leaning heavily on Mor who looked like she could barely hold herself up.

"You need a ride home Feyre?" I asked.

"That would be great." She said squeezing my knee just a tad.

I helped Cass into the car, and she helped Mor, we played some queen and sang like idiots. It made more sense to drop Feyre off first, but I went to Cass and Mor's houses first. We took them both into their homes and got them into their beds. Feyre got them water and I got them some aspirin for the morning.

I wanted to take Feyre home with me, but she yawned so I figured I should take her home. She took my hand and we talked some more. As I got into her neighborhood hood though I tensed up. It was bad it was really bad, there was trash everywhere, shops with boarded-up windows apartments with bars on them.

I looked over at Feyre and she didn't seem to notice the distress I was in, I couldn't imagine her in one of these places, her beautiful paintings should be in museums not here. We got to her house and I parked.

I walked her to her door, and she put her hand on my chest, her touch made me feel safe and a little more grounded. I leaned down and got her lips with my own. It was a quick kiss a light one and yet it left me with a hunger. I hugged her and watched her walk into her apartment. When she shut the door, I heard at least 5 locks slide into place and it still didn't seem like enough.

It was hard to walk away I wanted to take her home with me take her out of this crumbling place, but I knew she worked hard for this so I wouldn't push it. Not yet anyway.

I got home and immediately texted Feyre that I had gotten home safe. I climbed into bed and thought about her eyes until I fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Feyre POV

In the morning I woke up to a few texts from Rhys aside from the one telling me he had gotten home safely.

Rhys: Good morning darling

Rhys: I was wondering if you would spend lunch with me today, that is of course if you don't already have plans with Mor

There were also a few messages from Mor.

Mor: Hey, had tons of fun last night! You and Rhys seemed awfully friendly, I just knew that you two would hit it off, just remember that you were my friend first

Mor: Lunch?

I laughed and sent a message to Rhys saying I'd have lunch with him and a message to Mor telling her we could get coffee but that I already have lunch plans.

While I'd been working on the mural, I'd been wearing old shirts and pants that could get splattered with paint, and Mor didn't seem to mind when we went out to lunch. Today though if this was really a date with Rhys then I wanted to wear something nicer. I grabbed one of my new pencil skirts and a blue flowy top then I was on my way.

Carrying the stuff on the bus was slightly awkward and I got a few angry looks from accidentally bumping into people, but I did not care, I was far too excited. When I got to the office I smiled at Nuala or it could have been Cerridwen I could never tell, but they never seemed to mind. I went into the empty office my painting stuff was being stored in.

I hung my outfit on a hook on the wall, grabbed the little cart that I kept my painting supplies on, and went on my way.

Today I was working on the outlines of the Illyrian warriors, working on the first one it wasn't till I took a step back that I realized he looked a lot like Rhys, they had the same sharp jay and nose, the same full lips, all it was missing was his violet eyes.

I realized that I didn't have the exact violet, so I climbed down to go and get it, on the way down I was so preoccupied trying to visualize his eyes I didn't notice him standing there.

When I got down, I turned around and almost ran right into him and steadied myself grabbing onto his shoulder, "you startled me."

"Sorry, I thought you saw me. Daydreaming were you."

With him standing right in front of me I took in his eyes, they weren't actually violet they were just so blue that they looked like they could be.

"Wait right here."

I grabbed my paints and started mixing while he waited patiently for me to get a color match. "you know Feyre darling if I knew you were going to paint me, I would have given some suggestions."

"Oh, and what would those be," I said in a slightly sarcastic tone.

In a serious voice, Rhys answered with, "Well for starters nude would have been best. I do like the wings though I think they suit me." I turned red and looked up at him from where I was mixing the paints and he still had a straight face, only the tiniest hint of a smile sneaking through.

"You know what that's a great idea I'll start over as soon as we get back from lunch, I hope the posing you'll have to do won't interfere with your work." His smile widened a little bit more.

"Well, I guess we better hurry then if I'm going to fit posing into my day, then again those reports Mor needed signed could wait."

I laughed and covered my paints, "just give me a few more minutes, I'm going to go and change."

I went to go get changed and freshen up a little, I was feeling myself on the way out of the empty office, aside from the few nights out with Mor, I had been wearing painting clothes or a supermarket uniform. Now though looking in the mirror in the entranceway I looked like a woman, no longer the shadow that I had become.

Another thing I realized was that I wasn't nervous to go out with Rhys, with Tam he had always made me feel beneath him, and for everything he gave me I had to pay him back in some way. With Rhys though I wasn't nervous I was too excited, and even though he was the CEO of a massive corporation he never made me feel small.

On my way out the building I saw at least three copies of my paintings hanging up, and it boosted my confidence even more. I saw Rhys from across the room and he was looking at me like I was the only star in the sky. Tamlin had never once looked at me like that, I don't think he ever even really saw me at all.

Rhys POV

Feyre had a small smile on her face while she was looking around for me in the foyer, she looked stunning she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. There was a little bit of paint in her hair and I could tell that she was uncomfortable in the shoes she was wearing, but she had the most amazing confidence.

When she finally spotted me, I made sure to look her up and down lingering on her tight skirt and her lips that she had painted a light pink color. When she got to me, she looked up and gave me a bright smile, I couldn't resist, and I bent down to kiss her square on the lips. She was surprised at first, but it only took her a moment to kiss me back. I could have stayed right there for the rest of eternity.

She finally broke the kiss and took my arm; we went to a small restaurant in the rainbow and had a light lunch. I had never felt so comfortable with someone or shared more laughs with someone probably ever.

I finally looked at my watch having had no idea what time it was and almost swore, "Sorry Feyre I think we should get back."

"What time is it?" she asked.

It's almost 3:30, I've got a meeting in like 10 minutes."

"Wow, that did not feel like 2 hours, alright I guess I should get back to my mural. Too bad you have a meeting though I was really excited about you posing for me."

"Feyre darling I would happily pose for you tonight." I stared right into her eyes as she masked her face into a serious expression.

"You're on Rhysand, I hope you have some cheesy stuffed tiger rug to pose on."

I couldn't keep a straight face anymore, "Sorry I don't do stuffed dead animals."

"Good to know. Shall we go?"

She started to stand up, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her back down, "Five more minutes."

She laughed a full rich sound, "Don't you have a meeting?"

"They can wait a little while longer."

When the five minutes were up and Feyre stood back up again I groaned and let her pull me up. We walked back together with my arm around her where she fit perfectly. I left her with a kiss back at the office where all of her stuff was stored and made plans to meet her in the same spot after work.

I walked up to the meeting leisurely really not wanting to have to sit in on another pointless meeting where no final decisions would be made. As I walked past the conference room though I saw Mor, sitting in my place. She gave me a little wink when she saw me in the window, and I gave her a super lame thumbs up.

Not having to deal with this meeting helped me get the rest of my work for the day done early, I met a mental note to thank Mor somehow, maybe I'd take her out to Rita's or something.

I grabbed my coat, waved at Mor who was still running what looked like the same meeting, and went to go and pick up Feyre. On the elevator ride down, I ordered some take out and smiled big enough to make my face hurt. It was the first time that I was leaving early in ages, and I was actually excited to get home.

I got to Feyre's office and she wasn't there, and she wasn't there, and her stuff still wasn't there. I went out and she was on the scaffolding painting huge bat wings on the Illyrian warrior that she had modeled after me.

The mural had come a long way, I could really see it coming together. She had done a lot of work on the night sky and she had even included the icy mountains in all the myths about them. The wing she was painting now was incredible, she had gone into tons of detail and it almost looked like the bat-like wing was coming right out of the wall.

I stayed and watched her for a while, she was so at peace and so incredibly beautiful doing something that she so clearly loved. She only noticed me when she dropped a paintbrush and looked down trying to find it.

She had a streak of blue paint across her nose that I hadn't seen before and damn it was the most adorable thing I had ever seen. "I finished early. Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, I'll be right down." I helped pack up her paints and put them on her little cart that she kept them all on.

I waited while she changed and got organized, she came out with a small bundle of paper and paints in her arms. "Let's go."


	5. Chapter 5

Feyre POV

Rhys had a nice townhouse right in the middle of the city, I had been expecting something more extravagant. It was tasteful, and it looked cozy and comfortable. The furniture actually looked comfortable instead of the bachelor furniture I had been expecting to encounter.

Rhys set down the takeout on the kitchen counter, I saw an old newspaper and spread it out on the dining room table, then I put my paints on top. I went back to the kitchen where Rhys was opening containers. "It smells delicious," I said coming up behind him and wrapping my arms around his waist.

As he moved, I shuffled behind him trying not to trip over his feet. My nose was crushed against his shoulder and I took the citrus and sea scent of him deep into my lungs. I was about to let go so I could set the table, but he grabbed my arms and pulled me tight against me. "Where do you think you're going darling how am I supposed to stand up without you." I could feel his shoulders shaking with laughter.

We did this dance until we went to the table Rhys sat down first and pulled me down onto his lap. We ate in a heated silence, Rhys' nose kept brushing up against the back of m neck, and he left a trail of kisses up to the back of my ear.

We ate slowly letting it stew and whispered to each other and snuck little touches. When he ran his nose up my neck my toes curled in my socks. We put the dishes in the sink and went to where I had set up my paints. I positioned Rhys fully prepared to take him up on his offer to paint him sarcastic or not.

I positioned him in one of the chairs with the soft moonlight from the window illuminating his face. His face was turned toward the window, I had done it on purpose so that I could stare at him without the intensity of his gaze. The light accentuated his sharp features, his straight nose, high cheekbones, crisp jaw, and the light was making his eyes almost ethereal looking.

I looked down at the canvas I had brought to start my rough outline, when I looked up again, I saw Rhys try and quickly look back to how I had positioned him. When I looked back at the canvas, I licked my lips knowing that he was watching. When I looked back up again Rhys was smirking like a cat and I watched him over dramatically lick his lips, I laughed a little and went back to work.

The next time I looked up the playfulness had vanished now he was staring right at me and I was like a deer caught in headlights. I was trapped in his eyes they were so deep like I could fall right into them. There was no more dancing around in his eyes, he was the first one to break the tension "C'mere."

"I'm not finished yet," I said quietly already setting down the pencil and canvas I was holding.

I went to go close the lids on the paints, but before I could he said "Don't leave them out." He grinned like a wolf.

He twirled me around and pushed me up against the table and caught my mouth with his. I feverishly tried to take off his shirt. The probably very expensive shirt ripped a little underneath my fingertips.

He reached behind my thighs and lifted me up onto the table and pulled my shirt over my head. He went to push me back onto the table when his hand landed in some paint and he laughed against me. The paint was cold as he drew on my stomach.

I had to make it even, so I put my hand into the paint and traced the tattoos on his chest, they were lovely, and I wanted to study them.

By the time we both finished we were both covered in paint, the newspaper I had put down doing nothing to save the table beneath, and I could see my handprints all over Rhys. He started to laugh as he took in the mess around him. "I think I like the table better this way." He said between laughs.

"Good cause I don't know if that gonna come out," I said staring at the mess.

"I wouldn't want it too." He scooped me up and took me up the stairs. As we walked through the house, I noticed all the paintings he had hung up, they were all the paintings I had sold him. I didn't see a single painting without a little F.A. in the corner.

"So, you like my painting huh."

"No, I love your paintings darling, I want more walls so I can hang more." He pulled me even tighter to him and kissed me hard square on the mouth. He almost tripped on one of the steps and had to catch himself placing his hand on the wall. I cringed a little seeing the colorful handprint he left behind.

We finally got into his bathroom where he started the tub and filled it with bubbles. We made out as the tub filled up. When the water got high enough, he carried me into the tub, and we washed the paint off each other. Then we made out some more in his bed until we fell asleep wrapped up in each others' arms. I had never felt more comfortable and I hoped that Rhys felt the same way.

Rhys POV

I slept in and woke up with Feyre tucked into my arms, her head was on my arm which had gone numb, but I didn't want to move it away from her. She was still asleep taking deep and even breaths and she seemed so at peace.

I tucked a piece of hair away from her eyes and she woke up, her eyes more piercing in the morning than ever before. "Good morning darling." I smiled down at her as she whipped her eyes, "You're even more beautiful in the morning." She groaned a little and nestled even further into my chest, and then started kissing her way up my neck.

I didn't think that I had ever achieved this level of happiness and planned to never let it go. "I flipped her underneath me, "What do you want Feyre?" I asked her.

She smiled up at me and just said one word, "more", and I obliged her, right up until the last minute before we had to leave for work.

We drove to work together, and I kissed her goodbye at her makeshift supply room. Mor caught us and laughed as she walked past us, I saw her wink at me as she made her way to the elevator and she grinned like a fiend.

Over the next few weeks while Feyre was still painting I spent every moment I could with her, when she had to stay at her place or take a shift at the grocery store, I felt like a part of me was missing. I dreaded when she wouldn't come to work with me every day, but I was still excited about what the future would hold for her.

She was already getting commissions like crazy from people that had seen the mural or the paintings inside the building. Her social media was blowing up, and she almost had another job for a mural set up for a new building that was going in the rainbow.

There had been so much love for her art that we got her some business cards to keep at the front desk and with her. She got to quit her job at the grocery store and moved in with me fully. I hadn't even noticed that she had moved in with me she had just slowly been spending more and more time at my place so when her lease was ending it didn't make much sense to sign on for another year.

My life finally had color again and it was the most alive I had ever felt.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I finish I'd like to say I know pretty much nothing about murals so I'm so sorry if my timeline is off and if there are any other parts of the mural that make no sense. :)
> 
> I hope you all enjoy the last chapter of this story and thank you for reading it. All the characters belong to the wonderful Sarah J Maas.

Three Months Later

Feyre POV

I felt so bad that I had kept Rhys waiting for so long, but I just couldn't get this hand to look quite right, today was the last day to make any changes to the mural, and I was freaking out about it. Poor Rhys he had been waiting so patiently just shouting the occasional words of praise up at me. He always knew the right thing to say.

I stepped back from the hand and it looked right I climbed down and stood next to Rhys looking up at it, from down here it looked like nothing, all the details I had been working into it to make it look "right" I couldn't even see. It made me feel even worse for making Rhys wait for so long for something that didn't even show. I was about to apologize when he twisted me to face him and said, "I love to watch you paint darling, you always look so at peace," and I melted.

I leaned towards him and he pulled me into him the rest of the way he kissed me lightly at first, but once I pulled him closer, so he was pressed up against me he deepened it. Once we finally broke apart, I looked up at what I had created the once grey wall now covered in mountains and stars ad flying Illyrians. I took a moment to take it in, there were some areas still that I knew could be better, but for the most part, looking at it I just felt very proud of myself. For all the work that I had put in.

Tomorrow the scaffolding would be picked up in the morning and they would have an official unveiling and a party afterward. I was kind of confused at the whole unveiling thing it wasn't like people hadn't seen it, yet it was kind of hard to hide a giant wall with a mural on it on a busy street. Mor had told me it would be a big deal though and I believed her. We went shopping for dresses to wear and got new shoes, tomorrow we would go to get our hair done and makeup.

I was excited to spend some time with her, over the last few months she had been a great friend, but since I had been with Rhys, I had been spending the time that I usually did with her with him. I felt guilty about it, but since she got a new girlfriend Andy, she'd been busy too.

Things with Rhys had been going great, I spent most of the time with him at his place, he didn't push me to move in with him, but I saw the way his jaw tightened every time he drove me home or spent time there. He always let me have my choice and let me be my own person it was strange after everything with Tamlin to have that with someone.

I packed up my paints for the last time and changed in the empty office one last time I had arranged to come back in a few weeks to collect the paint supplies but for now, I left them and went to go and meet Rhys. He was talking to Nuala at I least I thought it was Nuala at the front desk.

"Ready darling?" he asked.

I nodded and said a quick goodbye to Nuala.

On the drive to Rhys's house, we talked about our days even though we had spent most of the day together. He rested his hand on my knee and I was obliviously happy. We got to Rhys' and we had some leftover pizza.

We were sitting at the dining room table when Rhys looked up and smirked at me, "Have I told you how ravishing you look tonight darling?" he purred.

I laughed looking down at my yoga pants and stained sweatshirt. When I looked back up Rhys was staring at my lips and licking my own. "So, many memories right here on this table I think I'd like to recreate some darling," I blushed a deep scarlet remembering the first time on this table and the clean-up that had gone with it.

Rhys watched me finish the last of my pizza and I took my sweet time making it last, "I'm finished," I finally said, and he pounced.

The next morning Rhys drove me to work with him and I watched and helped take down the scaffolding that I had been using. Then I left for the mall with Mor where we got some sushi and then went to go and get our hair and make-up done. We talked about Rhys and I watched as Mor cringed at knowing some of the more intimate details and we talked about Andy too.

I had met her a few times and I understood why she got along so well with Mor, she was like the perfect human, beautiful, smart, funny, and I could see the love in her eyes when she looked at Mor. I couldn't be happier for the two of them and I truly hoped it would work out for them.

We went over to Rhys' and opened one of his finest bottles of wine, he had great taste in wine which was great for us but it seemed that Rhys actually got to drink very little of it, I'd seen Mor drink far more of it than he did, and Cassian drank like a fish. Az was always the sneakiest about it, but I'd seen him put away his fair share of wine.

I don't think Rhys minds though he often plays it off as an annoyance, I see how happy he is to have his family around and having fun. He also never goes through with his threats to lock up his collection, and it's always stocked.

At some point, Andy had come and joined us to get ready and she laughed watching Mor use a half-empty bottle of wine as a microphone singing chandelier. Andy only intervened when Mor actually started to reach for one of Rhys', I'm sure priceless chandeliers.

We got dressed and did a little photoshoot before Rhys came home to change into another suit and pick us up. We took more group photos with him and then we were off.

Rhys POV

Feyre looked so absolutely stunning this evening that I couldn't keep my eyes off her she had on a shimmering white gown that hugged her in all the right places. She looked like a star, and she had a brilliant smile on her face the whole evening. Looking at her I had no doubt in my mind that this was the woman that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

I got a photo of her as she smiled cutting the red ribbon with big scissors that someone probably one of the twins had put up in front of the mural. It was probably going to be the first of many future murals for her, at least three other companies had contacted her asking about murals for their own buildings, as well she had blown up on social media and people asking for her painting. I was going to miss seeing her at work every day, but I couldn't be prouder.

She told a short speech talking about the ancient Illyrian warriors living in the coldest mountains and training under the hardest of conditions allowing only the strongest to emerge and join their armies. She talked about their strength and how she had been moved by them and imagined their joy at flying in the night sky.

It was a short but beautiful speech and we all clapped at the end Mor and Cassian shouted praise and I could see her cheeks turn pink with a blush. She came over to me and I squeezed her in my arms and kissed her on the forehead. She smiled up at me and kissed her.

We went arm in arm together inside to where a party had been set up for us all, we all danced together all night, we drank and ate good food and partied when everyone was gone and it was just us and Mor and Andy were asleep cuddling together in some chairs they had put together I pulled Feyre into my arms and we danced. I had my head buried in the crook of her and where I had been kissing and dragging my tongue and teeth. I felt her shiver as I made my way up to her ear.

I pulled away and put my forehead to hers and looked into her eyes, "I love you Feyre." She smiled at me and my heart twisted, nothing compared to one of her smiles.

"I love you too Rhys." We stayed like that for what felt like hours, we stayed until our feet couldn't hold us anymore and our eyes couldn't stay open a moment longer and went to sleep on the couch in my office looking at the painting that had brightened my once gray office just as she had brightened my once gray life.


End file.
